Eagle One Down
by adanudowaya
Summary: Carmen has crashed during a top secret mission. She is all alone and doesn't know where she is, what she is doing, or who she is.
1. Default Chapter

Eagle One Down  
  
Lieutenant Carmen Ibanez walked onto the deck and saluted. "You called for me, Sir?" The admiral nodded briefly and turned back to the screen he was watching.  
"I have a very special assignment for you, Lieutenant." He said, not looking up from the screen. "It is a solo assignment, very dangerous, very hush-hush." He looked at her, questioning.  
"Tell me what to do, Sir."  
"That is the attitude I like to see, Ibanez. You will be flying into enemy territory. This is your objective," He pointed to a spot on the screen.  
Ten minutes later, Carmen walked out of the room and went straight to the launching deck. Her mind was whirling with the information she had been given. This was big. Really big.  
  
"Carmen," a voice pierced the darkness. Carmen strained towards the voice.  
"Mother?" A shadowy figure appeared. Carmen reached out to her, but the figure stopped just out of range. Carmen's hand was heavy. So heavy. She tried to lift it, but it wouldn't move.  
"Carmen, you must wake up. Carmen." The voice was more urgent. "Wake up, Carmen!"  
Carmen shifted her weight. She felt so heavy! Wakefulness tore though in her fight to move. She tried to make herself move, but the weight was to much. Finally the weight lifted. Her hands, relieved of the pressure, flew upward. A stabbing pain bit into her head, and Carmen fell back into unconsciousness.  
Carmen woke slowly and stretched. One hand hit a rock. Her eyes flew open. Where was she? She looked around-- nothing. Just an empty plain as far as the eye could see. Her eyes drifted up to the bright red sky. "I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore," she said softly. "I don't even think I'm on Terra." Her head hurt so badly. How had she gotten here? The last thing she remembered was-- was-- waking up.  
Carmen's head spun with the effort of trying to remember. Remember what? "That is a good place to start," Carmen spoke out loud. Her voice echoed strangely in the stillness. She tried to ignore the unsettled feeling it gave her. "My name is... Well, I'm 20 years old, I know that." she crossed her arms in defiance. "This is not Terra, and I think that I am from Terra." She looked down at her clothes for some hint. No help there. Just plain black pants and a white t-shirt. Nothing in the pockets, she discovered. "I-- I speak English," she ventured, "and-- Spanish." She tried a few words as if to confirm this fact.  
Next, she turned her eyes to her body. "I work out," she decided. "and I am in good health." She carefully analyzed every mark and scar on her body. "A lot of scars," she determined, "I must work in a dangerous occupation. If I work," she amended. The sudden thought that she could be an outlaw came to her, but she pushed it away. She had enough to worry about without that.  
"I am human, and I need water," she said next. "I better get to walking." She walked for a long time, drilling herself on facts she knew with each step. But they were all facts. Nothing personal, nothing to tell her who she was. She felt that it would be a long walk to find out who she really was-- and what she was doing here. Where ever 'here' was.  
  
"Hey, have you seen Carmen?" Dizzy asked Gossard.  
"No, but I haven't been aft today. That's where the fly guys spend their time." He stopped and looked at her. "What do you want with Carmen? There's no love lost between the two of you."  
"None of your business, Goss. I just wanted to know where she is."  
"Sure," Gossard said knowingly. A smile lit his face as he walked off.  
"Wipe that smirk off your face, Goss! Or you will wish you did!" Dizzy yelled after him as he walked away. He just kept walking.  
Dizzy was really worried. She had an appointment to see Carmen, but Carmen hadn't showed. Dizzy had been making discreet inquiries about her all day, but no one knew anything about where she was. Dizzy knew that she wouldn't have blown her off for nothing. If Carmen didn't show, it was because she wasn't able to. That meant she wasn't on board. Which meant she was planet-side. Which meant-- nothing good.  
  
Carmen's chest hurt. Her head was pounding with a rhythmic beat that matched her steps. It was hard for her to get her breath. Was it the atmosphere? Had she been knocked out and dumped on an inhospitable planet whose air would slowly kill her? Or was it just lack of blood? She had several large bruises and one small cut on her head, that wasn't enough to kill her, was it? No. But how did she know that? How did she know anything?  
In the distance, Carmen thought she could see water. Her pace picked up and she raced toward the spot. It seemed like miles away. She threw herself down and took a deep drink. The water was stale, warm, and a little tepid, but it tasted like the best thing in the world to her. A nearby rock offered a little shade, some protection from the heat. She fell down under it gratefully. Sleep threatened to overtake her. She fought a losing battle, and slept beneath the shadow of the rock.  
  
"Where is Carmen?"  
"Diz, knock it off, already. I don't know why you think she is in trouble, but Carmen knows how to take care of herself." Johnny gave her a look that said the conversation was over. Dizzy ignored it.  
"I can't tell you how I know, Johnny, but I know! Carmen isn't on board. A simple check will tell you that. She is on the planet, and she is alone. She doesn't have a pass or an assignment to be there. I know she is in trouble!" Dizzy ended her exclamation with a fist on Rico's desk for emphasis.  
Johnny didn't know what to think. Dizzy had never cared enough about Carmen to even check on her before, but she seemed to have covered all the bases this time. She had even checked the assignments. A frown covered his face. "How did you get into the pass and assignment database?"  
Dizzy sighed. This could be a long conversation.  
  
Carmen woke up, her head still pounding. It took her a minute to remember where she was. "My name is--" she tried again. No luck. She sighed and went to get a drink of water. The water had fallen in level since she had last drunk. Carmen wondered what other creatures were using the watering hole. She tried not to think about it and took a drink. She looked around at the vast plain of nothing surrounding her. Should she try to find some sort of civilization? Or should she stay where she knew there was water? In the distance, Carmen could see a larger rock formation. Maybe there would be water there-- and food. She slowly started to walk.  
  
"Carl, just try for me."  
"Dizzy, Johnny told me about how strange you were acting last night. Let it go. I'm sure she is fine!" Carl answered her.  
"No. Carl, she is not fine! Look for her, Carl! I thought she was your friend!" Dizzy pleaded with him.  
Carl sighed. "Ok, if it will get you off my back, I'll look for her." He closed his eyes lightly and crossed his arms in defeat. In a moment, his look changed. His forehead crinkled with concentration, and his hands clinched into fists. He stayed like that for a long moment. Sweat started to bead on his forehead.  
"Carl?" Dizzy questioned him softly, unsure of what to do. Carl relaxed and opened his eyes. They were dark with concern.  
"Get Johnny." he demanded. "Carmen is in trouble."  
  
Pain screamed through Carmen's head. She gripped her temples with both hands in an effort to shut it out, but to no avail. She felt herself sinking to her knees. The agony was to much. What was happening to her? Her brain felt like it would explode...  
As suddenly as it had started, the pain left. Carmen hunched on the ground for a moment longer before trying her feet again. In the distance, her eyes could make out the rock formation she had been headed for. Now, though, off to the left and a little closer, she could see some sort of hill rising into the sky. Her feet switched courses and she started for her new destination.  
  
"Carl, what is it? What did you see?" Johnny asked.  
"I-- I don't know, but it wasn't Carmen. It wasn't anyone."  
"What do you mean, Carl? You're not making sense!" Dizzy demanded.  
"I-- don't know what I mean, Diz. It's to strange. It's Carmen, yet-- it's not."  
  
"You called, Admiral?"  
"Yes. I fear something has gone wrong. No one can know her mission. Take the ship out of orbit-- we are pulling out."  
"Sir?"  
"You heard me, private. Count her AWOL and leave!"  
  
"What is going on?"  
"Didn't you hear, Goss? We have received orders to return to Terra." Higgins' grin spread from ear to ear.  
"Haven't you heard, Higgins? Carmen is on that planet!" Bob's eyes grew larger and his grin faded.  
"But," he squeaked, "The roughnecks--"  
"I know, Bob." A look of determination came over Goss' face. "The Roughnecks never leave a man behind."  
  
Something was wrong. There was something she had to remember. Something important. Carmen tried to force her brain to recall what that was, but it was pointless. She couldn't remember her own name, how was she supposed to remember... whatever it was she forgot? Her feet trudged wearily onwards, ever closer to that huge mound-shaped hill in the distance.  
"My name is-- My name is-- My name is--" Each step was intoned by the echo in her head. The mound grew larger. It seemed impossible to call it a hill now, it seemed to well formed. There was something about that mound. It seemed-- familiar, almost. "My name is-- My name is--" The mound loomed before her now. A face flashed before her eyes, so fast, she would have disregarded it altogether if it hadn't been for the name that leapt subconsciously from her lips. "My name is-- Johnny!" The name was definitely familiar. "No, my name is not Johnny, but--" she couldn't force the thought to finish forming. Now, a new question filled her thoughts and drummed in her head, though. "Who is Johnny-- Who is Johnny-- Who is Johnny- -"  
  
"LT, any news? Why are we pulling out on such short notice?"  
"I don't know, Goss. Something is wrong. Get the Roughnecks suited up and to the loading bay. If the brass won't go after her, we will." Johnny pounded his fist into his desk, much like Dizzy had the day before.  
  
Now, mere feet away from the huge dome, Carmen felt a sense of uneasiness. Why was she here? Why had she come? Why had she been summoned? And who had called her? "That's stupid," Carmen reprimanded herself out loud. "I walked here to find water-- nothing else." Somehow, the words wouldn't ring true in her ears. Deep below her feet, something rumbled and screeched. A picture flew into her head of a huge beast, claws and fangs bared-- no, more like an oversized bug-- rearing back, threatening her, her hand reached behind her, searching for something, something to fight back....  
The vision broke from her eyes, and Carmen unclenched her fists. She had seen a startling thing, though. A clue into her past? She hoped not. She could still picture her hands wrapped around the vision of a gun....  
  
T'phi nodded briefly to Gossard as he strapped in. Gossard in turn nodded to Rico. "Taken care of, LT."  
Johnny nodded back tersely. They were ready to launch. Once the ship left the bay, they were all fugitives. If they didn't come back with Carmen... They might as well not come back.  
  
You have come. Come closer, my pet. Come closer. You are home. This is home. Welcome home, my pet, I am your master. You obey me. All humans must obey their master. It is as it is.  
Carmen felt the words more than she heard them. Each was a clear impression on her mind. Was it true? Did she live here? Was she a slave-- a pet-- to the occupant of this dome? Her mind tried to rebel against the thought, but her feet carried her closer, still closer. "Here I am. I am home, Master."  
  
Gossard scanned the area, searching for some sign of life. Nothing. He called in on his com-link to inform Rico, then checked with his left and right side partners and signaled them on. The whole squad had spread out in a line, just within sight of each other, searching for any thing out of the ordinary.  
Each minute was precious to them. If they were found, they would be court-martialed. If they were not found-- the ship might leave without them. Gossard thought he saw a glimmer in the distance. "Rico-- I might have something."  
"Report." Rico's voice came across the link. Gossard gave his coordinates and then ran forward to the object that had caught his eye. The rest of the team started to converge on the same place. When the Squad arrived, they found Gossard staring dumbly at the wreckage before him.  
Dizzy turned her head away. Tears stung at the back of her eyes. There was no way Carmen could have survived a crash that left a plane as mangled as this one was. Doc ran a scan inside. "No life onboard," he reported.  
Rico was running his own scan. "This is the ship that was missing from the Valley Forge." he confirmed. The Squad stood for a long moment, staring at the wreckage, unable to move.  
Dizzy was the first to regain her ability to speak. "We should bring her body back."  
The others nodded dumbly, and Doc stepped forward to search for the body. T'phi and Max started to help him move huge pieces of metal, but Rico stopped them. "Look," He pointed to one of the scraps. "this wasn't caused by a crash landing." The squad turned their eyes on the long, narrow, clean rip down the piece.  
"Bugs." Dizzy's voice burned with hate. "Carmen was to good a pilot to crash without a cause. Bugs got her." No one could find a better explanation.  
"Don't waste your time," Rico's voice was full of emotion, "her body won't be there. The bugs must have taken it out when they piled the wreckage here."  
A light came into Dizzy's eyes as a sudden realization hit her. "Maybe the bugs came after Carmen was gone." Rico caught and interpreted the look in her eyes.  
"She could still be alive." He said the words slowly, then, with more confidence, "Roughnecks, move out!" The squad moved as one, cutting across the vast plain as quickly as their power suits would take them.  
  
Carmen's nose wrinkled at the smell in the mound. It was like nothing she had ever experienced. No, it was a familiar smell-- Carmen's head started to ring, and she shook out the disturbing thoughts. Somewhere in here, there was someone who could explain everything to her. Carmen wanted nothing more than to know the truth. She took another step down the dark passage. Somewhere at the end of this tunnel, there was truth.  
  
"Head's up, Roughnecks. There is a bug mound three clicks South." Rico called to the squad. The team gathered around their Lt, waiting for further instructions.  
"Why would Carmen go to a bug mound? She should know better." Max stated what was on everyone's mind.  
"But that is where she is, isn't it." Dizzy's question was more like a statement. There was no doubt in her own mind.  
"Carl?" Rico asked.  
Carl nodded and closed his eyes in concentration. Finally, he looked back up, a troubled expression in his eyes. "Someone is there," he said. "But I'm not sure if it is Carmen. It could be..." His voice trailed off. Carl was not used to being unsure, and it shook him to realize he couldn't find her.  
"It could be her?" Rico questioned him.  
"Yes..." Carl's gaze was distant.  
"If there's any chance..." Dizzy whispered from her place by Rico. Rico heard her.  
"Roughnecks, rifles at the ready, off radios, search and rescue behind enemy lines code 4395." He spat out the orders with renewed fervor. "Move out!"  
The squad quickly followed the orders and mobilized. They were going into the mound. And they wouldn't come out alone.  
  
"Admiral?" The private stood questioning behind his commanding officer.  
The admiral turned to face him, still lost in thought. "We can't mobilize like this, although it would serve each one of those men right to lose their lives for their stupidity. Rico is really the only one who can face court martial-- the others acted under orders. It is our duty to retrieve them, but..." his voice trailed off. "This was supposed to be a simple one man mission!" he pounded his fist into the command deck. The private jumped and backed up a step in fear. "For now, we just wait. I have to give them that much. One hour, private, tell them to wait."  
The private saluted and ran to do as ordered-- and to escape the admiral's mood. The admiral turned back to the sound clip he had been listening to prior to the private's interruption. He pushed play for the fifth time, and sighed as the voice came over.  
"Mayday, mayday, Eagle One is going down! This is Carmen Ibanez, mayday..."  
  
"Do you understand now, my pet?"  
"Yes, Master. I understand."  
"Good. Now Go."  
"Yes, Master." Carmen turned and slowly started to retrace her steps.  
  
"Rico," Gossard whispered, "There is something approaching."  
"I've got it, Goss. Doc?"  
Doc quickly ran a scan. "It's hunamoid, not a bug."  
"It's Carmen!" Dizzy yelled.  
"Hush!" Rico demanded. "We've got to be sure."  
Dizzy gave him a pointed look. "I am sure."  
The squad waited for a few more moments, then Doc called out. "It's confirmed, LT! That's out girl!" The squad needed no further encouragement. They all came out of their hiding places and ran for the lone figure on the horizon.  
  
Carmen could see them coming. Her heart started to race in fear... or was it exhilaration? Her hands gripped the gift her master had given her. It felt as if it was made for her hands. Yes, this was home. This was what she was meant to do. The pain seared through her head again, followed by her master's voice.  
"Not yet, my pet. Wait for the right time, not yet."  
"Yes, Master," she replied, but it was hard to wait. She was meant to do this. Her hands moved reassuringly up and down the smooth barrel of the rifle in her hands. 


	2. Chapter 2

Carmen sighted along the rifle. The sight's magnification helped her to pick out individuals in the group. Her finger tightened around the trigger for a moment, the relaxed. "Bang." Dry humor was evident in the single, quiet word. The rifle fell back to her side, and she started forword. In a few seconds, she was close enough to the squad to call out, "Rico! Florez! Gossard! Over here!" The squad was at a run now.  
"Carmen!" Rico called back. Seconds later, the squad reached her and there was a joyful reunion. Doc checked her scrapes and bruises, and declaired her one very lucky pilot.  
"What happened to your powersuit?" Goss asked her.  
"The bugs took it." Carmen replied.  
"But they left you your gun?" Carmen's eyes narrowed at this question from T'phi.  
"I dug it out of the wreckage after they left. I followed them to see if they would drop my armor as well, but they didn't." She explained.  
The rest of the squad seemed satisfied with this explaination, but Dizzy had the funny feeling that she was leaving something out. Something important. She pushed the thought aside as as Rico called out, "Roughnecks, ho!" and the squad started to move back towards their transport.  
The squad arrived back at the Valley Forge with just the reception they expected: the squad was ushered to their barracks and put under gaurd, Carmen was sent to her quarters with orders to remain there until called, and Rico was brought to face Admiral Marlowe.  
"What do you think you were doing!?" where the first words Rico was greeted with when the two where alone.  
"I was searching for a downed pilot." Rico answered coolly.  
"Without permission! And took a transport, without permission! And taking a whole squad with you, without permission! To look for a pilot-- WHO HAD PERMISSION!!!"  
Rico was shocked by these last words, then he had to utilize all his will power to keep from screaming back at his superior. "You sent her there on assignment, without backup, and where willing to leave her there?" Rico could bearly keep his voice level.  
Marlowe's voice dropped to a deadly, low tone. "She went on assignment that was on a 'need to know' basis, knowing, and fully understanding, all the risks. You set off on your foolhardy escapade knowing nothing." He paused for a moment, then continued in his serious tone. "My actions in leaving her are not on trial here. Lt. Rico, we are meeting to see if there is any reason why I should not have you court- martialed."  
Court-martialed. Rico had understood the risk of court-martial if the squad had been forcefully retreived from the planet, but he had tricked himself into beleiving that bringing Carmen back would be their pardon. But she had been on assignment. That was something he had not planned on. His heart raced as he realized the list of charges against him. Disobeying orders, sending his squad into danger needlessly, comandeering government property, interfering with a top secret mission-- any one of these charges could get him the death pentalty.  
Marlowe's mind was racing along similar lines. He had no desire for this to come to a court-martial. He was not willing to esplain to a court his own justification in this mission-- at least not before he had talked with Ibanez. And Higgins, the newsboy, was in Rico's squad. If things came to a head, it would be all over the news. He also realized, even if he could keep a cap on the news, there could only be one outcome of a court- martial-- and he didn't want to loose a good officer, even if he was a rash one. They had to many problems with the bugs to start killing their own men. He heaved a heavy sigh.  
"Rico, go to your quarters. I want to talk with Ibanez before I make my final decision." Marlowe saluted and turned his back on the younger man, clearly saying the meeting was over. Rico left without another word. As soon as he was gone, Marlowe called for Ibanez. "Hopefully," he whispered to the empty room as he waited for her, "this will clear everything up-- and keep it all quiet."  
  
"You called for me, Sir?" Carmen spoke to Marlowe's back. The admarial turned around.  
"Are you ready, Carmen?" His tone was soft,almost fatherly, and his voice held a note of something like pity.  
"Yes, Sir." Carmen looked straight at her superior, courage obvious in her eyes.  
"Good. Corperal!" he turned and called through the intercom, and a man in a white lab coat entered.  
"This will hurt, I'm afraid," the doctor warned Carmen.  
"I'm ready, Corperal." Carmen showed no fear of the pain. Even when the examination began, Carmen refused to give into the desire to scream. Ten minutes later, it was over. Carmen felt releif flood her body as the excrutiating pain subsided, and then, with a deep sigh, she passed out.  
"Carmen? Lt. Ibanez, can you hear me?" Carmen fought to open her eyes. The Admiral and the Corpral where both looking down at her with worried expressions on their faces. "Ah, you are awake!" Marlowe straightened with a huge grin on his face. "You may go now, Doctor." he dismissed the other man. The Doctor left without a word, and Carmen felt Marlowe help her to a sitting position. "Can you talk?" He questioned.  
"Yes, Sir. I will be fine in a moment."  
"Let me fill you in on the results. Completely negitive. Not a trace." His smile took over his face once more.  
Carmen was still confused. What was he talking about? This was something her master had not prepared her for. She kept her whirling thoughts hidden as Marlowe spoke again.  
"Now, tell me, how did it go? Was the mission a success? Did you find out anything?"  
Carmen shook her head saddly. This one was not a lie. If she had at one time known something about the mission, she didn't now. "No, sir. I was attacked while still in the air. I managed to land, but was knocked out. By the time I came around, everything had been ripped to shreads and the bugs where on the move. I followed them for a while, but did not find them before the Roughnecks found me." Carmen threw the name 'Roughnecks' out with a bit of extra infliction. She had to hide a smile of her own at Marlowe's frown. He would really be mad at Rico now, she knew. It was easier to blame the missions failure on him than to bring up her recent memory loss. 


	3. Chapter 3

Dizzy slipped back into the barracks before anyone realized she was  
gone. She stretched out on her bed, but her thoughts where still  
whirling, and a deep frown covered her features. Carl noticed her  
after a few minutes and came over to talk with her. He stopped short  
in his friendly greeting when he saw her face.  
"Diz, what's wrong?"  
Dizzy looked at him, an incredulous look on her face. "What's  
wrong?" she asked sarcastically.  
Carl blushed. "Well, I mean, why are you thinking so hard. Not that  
I was reading your thoughts," he amended quickly, "It's written all  
over your face."  
"Yeah, I know," Dizzy sighed. "Something just isn't right about all  
this, Carl. I just can't figure it out."  
"I know how you feel." Carl told her. "I got the same feeling when  
we picked up Carmen..." his voice trailed off and his eyes stared  
out into space.  
"Carl?" Dizzy asked him softly.  
"Yes?"  
"Is it really Carmen?"  
Carl sighed. "I don't know, Dizzy, I just don't know."  
  
Marlowe watched from the window of the command deck as they finished  
preparations to pull out of orbit. He was not looking forward to the  
job ahead of him. Rico was a good man-- and he would have to send  
him to his death with a straight face. Not an easy task. He was  
somewhat disturbed by the fact that Ibanez did not seem worried  
about her friend's fate. He had heard that they had gone to school  
together. Ibanez seemed fine with the fact that Rico was about to be  
condemned to death. It wasn't normal. He frowned out the window. It  
wasn't even sane.  
"Private!" Marlowe spun to face his aid. "Get me Carl Jenkins in  
here, pronto!" The private rushed off, and Marlowe turned back to  
the window. "If I can say I forced retrieval," he muttered under his  
breath, "maybe Rico will have an excuse. If Jenkins calls Ibanez  
mentally unstable...." his voice trailed off. Ibanez would be  
drummed out of the fleet. He sighed again. This was a no win  
situation. But at least Ibanez and Rico would both be alive this  
way.  
  
"You called for me, Sir?" Carl stood at attention in the command  
deck.  
"Yes, private. I want your input on Ibanez's mental condition. Could  
the crash have knocked some wires loose?"  
Carl thought for a moment, carefully forming his reply. "It is  
possible, Sir. Carmen-- I mean, Lt. Ibanez, has been acting  
strangely. She seems prone to bouts of forgetfulness, and on the  
planet, she seemed very distant, often acting as if she was  
listening--"  
"To a voice no one else could hear." Carl looked up, shocked that  
Marlowe had finished his statement for him. Marlowe smiled at his  
shocked look. "It's in the reports, private."  
"Not Carmen's report." Carl said boldly.  
"You are right. It is in the reports of the few survivors of four  
squads that have recently suffered great losses. Symptoms include  
forgetfulness, voices in the head, strange headaches, and  
unreasonable action. Once it hits, it's to late-- The squad is  
doomed. At least, that is what we have gathered so far. Sounds like  
mind control bugs, doesn't it, private?" Marlowe continued without  
waiting for an answer. "But it's not. Ibanez has been checked  
throughly, and not a trace of a control bug. But here on the ship,  
all the symptoms persist-- minus the voices, right private?"  
"Yes, Sir." Carl was doing some fast thinking of his own. "It's not  
a mind control bug-- in the way you would think. I think it is a  
different type of mind control-- remote mind control." Even as he  
formulated the idea, Carl knew that he had struck the truth. "A  
brain bug. Let me see the doctor's reports on those squads, Sir."  
Marlowe smiled at the absent mindedly take charge way he had  
'requested' the forms. He handed the records to Carl, and the  
younger man poured over them for a few minutes in silence.  
Finally, Carl looked up. "Here, sir," he waved five of the forms in  
the air. "One from each squad, and Carmen's. These received head  
wounds prior to the death of their squads. It's simple! One member  
of a squad wanders off, the bugs inflict a blow to the head that  
results in a type of amnesia, then 'replace' the old memories with a  
new identity-- one from their side. The squad member goes back to  
his squad and follows the directives of his superior, a brain bug,  
and kills his squad. If he survives, the bugs cut him off, and there  
is no trace of control. The trooper is tried for treason-- but it  
looks like that hasn't come up, yet. None of the pawns have survived  
the massacre of their squad."  
"It makes sense, private," Marlowe agreed. "But Carmen is not a part  
of a squad."  
"She's a part of the fleet. She's a part of the Valley Forge." Carl  
reminded him.  
Understanding hit Marlowe like a fist. "Her target is the Valley  
Forge!" He spun and pressed a button on the intercom. "Send Ibanez  
in, now!" he shouted over the intercom. A shaky voice answered with  
a weak 'yes, sir', and Marlowe sat down. "Stay here, Jenkins. When  
she gets here, I want you to check her. See what she knows."  
"Yes, Sir," Carl replied. Inside, he was torn in two. Rico would  
live-- but what about Carmen?  
  
Carmen was completely at ease as she walked in the Command Deck-- at  
least outwardly. Inwardly, she was shaking. Would there be another  
examination? Why had her master not told her about this? She knew  
far to little about her mission-- or did she? Maybe he had told her,  
and she had forgotten. Well, it would all be over soon. Master would  
retreive her, and the ship would be destroyed, and she could go  
home. Maybe, after all this stress was gone, she could remember  
more.  
"You called for me, sir?" Carmen ignored the presence of Carl. Her  
master had insisted that she stay away from him.  
"Yes, Ibanez. I want Jenkins here to run one more test on you."  
Carmen's mind flew. What kind of test? Master had said nothing about  
this. She was supposed to avoid this man. What should she do?  
"Sure," Carmen said slowly. Her head started that familiar ache. Her  
thoughts seemed to fly away from her, and the floor twirled  
dizzingly below her. She closed her eyes, braced her hands against  
her head, and fell to the floor in agony.  
Carl and Marlowe watched, open mouthed, as Carmen collapsed and  
started moaning in pain. Carl was the first to act. He gripped  
Carmen's hands, still pressed against her temples, and consentrated.  
Agony. Fire. Carl had never experianced anything like it before.  
Like an explosion in his brain-- her brain. He tried to draw out the  
pain, find the source of it, but to no avail. Finally, the pain  
passed, and Carl and Carmen both sank into a sitting position in  
releif.  
Carmen came out of it first. She saw Carl, still hunched over in  
pain, and her mind started to put two and two together. He was a  
psycic! Was he the one giving her this pain? It had to be him. There  
was no other explaination. Then her Master had been trying to  
protect her by keeping her away from him. Anger burned in her,  
leaving her seeing red. Almost with out knowing it, her hand found a  
pile of spare gears and wires, and she selected a short pipe from  
them. With a bellow that resembled a charging rhino, she raised the  
pipe over her head and aimed for Carl's unsuspecting form.  
Marlowe grabbed the pipe as it decended toward Jenkins. He held  
tightly to his end, staring at Ibenez. She was gripping her end,  
staring back like a defiant three year old. She attempted to jerk  
the pipe free, but Marlowe held tight.  
Carmen felt anger building in her to huge proportions. With an  
enraged screech, she jerked the pipe again-- and Marlowe calmly let  
go. She fell backwards under her own force, and the pipe clanked to  
the floor as she tried to catch her self. Her head banged of f the  
corner of a metal desk, and she sank into unconciousness.  
  
Carmen woke to find herself laying in a hospital bed. Her hands had  
been secured to the railings, and she could not move. What was going  
on? The last thing she remembered was-- crash landing on the planet.  
How had the mission gone? Was it a failure? It must have been, if  
she was in the hospital. Why was she tied down, though? Had they  
found a control bug on her? Carmen focused on the door, where  
someone was entering.  
"Ibanez," Marlowe stated briskly, "Will you talk?"  
Carmen was confused. "Yes, Sir, about what? The mission? What  
happened? The last thing I remember was crash landing. What  
happened? Why am I here? And where is here?"  
Marlowe's mouth fell open before he could regain his composure. She  
really didn't know what had happened! "You are in the medical hold  
of the Valley Forge. The mission was a complete failure. Can you  
remember anything that happened? Anything at all?"  
Carmen shook her head saddly. "No, Sir."  
"Will you let Jenkins examine you?"  
"Yes, Sir. That mission was too important to let go of."  
Marlowe smiled and called for Jenkins. Carmen Ibanez was back!  
  
Deep in the belly of the ship, a timer slowly turned over. The  
flashing red numbers on it's face spoke wordlessly-- 20:00, 19:59,  
19:58.....  
  
Carl carfully positioned his hands on Carmen's head, steeling  
himself against the pain that had been there before. To his  
surprise, there was not even a trace of it now. He slowly followed  
Carmen's thoughts over the last few days-- he saw her writting a  
letter to Dizzy, eating in the mess hall, going and receiving orders  
from Marlowe, piloting the plane to the planet, crash landing-- then  
it all went black. He worked harder, searching for the memories he  
knew where hidden somewhere in her mind. There! He felt her pain,  
confusion, abandonment, fear. She was walking across a vast desert-  
like plain, drinking tepid water, walking on. He saw the mound--  
heard-- no, felt, her get her orders from the hidden master. He saw  
the Roughnecks through her eyes, coming to the rescue. His blood ran  
cold as she lifted her gun to her sholder in mockery. He saw her  
talking with Marlowe on the command deck, felt the pain of the exam  
she suffered, then, finally, saw her plant the tiny, powerful, bomb  
in a hold under the ship. He tried to see exactly where it was-- and  
caught sight of the flashing numbers.  
Carl ripped himself free of Carmen, ignoring the pain. He turned to  
Marlowe. Carmen still had a lost look on her face-- she had  
evidently not seen what he had. Carl ignored her for the moment, and  
spoke to Marlowe in a hurried tone. "Admiral! There's a bomb on 'C'  
deck-- and it will blow in less than a minute!"  
It was the fastest minute of Carl's life-- and the slowest. It took  
an impossibly long time to reach 'C' deck-- forty-five seconds. Five  
more seconds, and he was facing the bomb. He reached out to detatch  
it from it's resting place, two more seconds. The bomb beeped loudly  
as it reached the five second mark, and each second was intoned with  
another beep after that. Carl had the wires in his hands-- and three  
seconds left. He carefully gripped one wire, pulling it gently-- no  
result. One second. He jerked the wire free, and the bomb flashed  
down to zero.  
  
That next second, waiting, was the longest one Carl had ever known.  
He held his breath for the duration, then slowly released it as he  
relized that the bomb wouldn't blow. He turned and saw Marlow and  
Carmen behind him. Funny, he didn't remember them following him.  
The look on Marlowe's face was one of relief. The look on Carmen's,  
was one of complete horror.  
  
"I almost killed us all," Carmen was in the command deck, yet again.  
Marlowe patted her on the sholder.  
"But you didn't, we are all fine. It wasn't your fault-- you had  
all the loyalty you have ever had, it was just focused the wrong  
way."  
Carmen nodded, but didn't look convinced. "What happens now?" she  
asked.  
Marlowe looked rather satisfied. "Now, we fill out the report and  
send it in."  
"With me?" Carmen's voice broke. If she did excape charges of  
terrorism, she would still be drummed out of the fleet.  
Marlowe shook his head. "No, alone. The report will say that you  
went out on a mission, the mission was successful, the Roughnecks  
retrived you, and enemy plans to kill us all where discovered and  
defeated as a result. I wouldn't be surprised if you and Jenkins  
both got commendations over this."  
"Wow," was all Carmen could say. In a few minutes, she left the deck  
and walked down to where the Roughnecks bunked.  
"Dizzy?" Carmen took Dizzy by the arm and forced her out into the  
hall. "We have to talk."  
  
A few minutes later, Carmen returned to her quarters and Dizzy  
returned to to the barracks. The other Roughnecks had heard Carmen's  
words, and Rico asked the question that was on everyone's mind.  
"What was that all about?"  
Dizzy flashed him a huge smile. "That," she said, "Is another  
story." 


End file.
